Path of Exile 2
Mostly Positive
Total: 138 ThousandPositive: 101 ThousandNegative: 36.6 Thousand
69.84 %
25.7 %
Path of Exile 2 is a next-generation Action RPG that plunges players into the dark, corrupted world of Wraeclast. With a gripping campaign spanning six acts, 100 unique environments, and over 600 monsters, this game offers a rich, immersive experience. Featuring co-op for up to six players, Path of Exile 2 introduces a revamped skill system with 240 Skill Gems and 200 Support Gems, allowing for unparalleled build customization. The iconic Passive Skill Tree returns with Dual Specialisation, enabling players to experiment with multiple playstyles seamlessly. Community feedback highlights the game’s fun and engaging mechanics, with a 76.07% AI Community Rating praising its depth and improvements. However, some players report issues like game-crashing freezes and overly punishing endgame mechanics. Despite these challenges, Path of Exile 2 remains a must-play for RPG enthusiasts seeking a deep, rewarding experience.
The gameplay and mechanics of this title have sparked strong reactions from the community, with many praising its tight controls and engaging combat system. Players highlight the fluid movement and responsive inputs, making actions like dodging, attacking, and executing combos feel satisfying. The level design has also received positive feedback, with well-crafted environments that encourage exploration while maintaining a balanced difficulty curve. However, some criticize the AI for being predictable, reducing the challenge in later stages. A recurring complaint is the game's pacing—some find it too slow in the early hours, while others feel the later sections rush key moments. The tutorial has been praised for its clarity, helping new players grasp mechanics quickly, though veterans argue it over-explains basics. Replayability is a mixed point; while the core loop is enjoyable, a lack of meaningful post-game content leaves some players wanting more. If you value polished mechanics and rewarding combat but can overlook uneven pacing, this game could be a solid pick.
Performance & Technical Issues are a mixed bag for this game, according to player feedback. While some report smooth gameplay with stable FPS and minimal stuttering, others experience frequent frame drops, especially in graphically intense scenes. Several players note that the game struggles with optimization, even on high-end hardware, leading to inconsistent performance. Long load times are another common complaint, disrupting immersion during gameplay sessions. Crashes and corrupted saves have been reported by a subset of players, with some encountering softlocks that force restarts. Visual glitches, such as texture pop-ins and physics anomalies, are present but generally minor. Online play has its own set of issues, including matchmaking delays and occasional disconnections, which can frustrate multiplayer enthusiasts. On the positive side, patches have addressed many early performance problems, and players with optimized settings report a much-improved experience. However, compatibility remains a concern for some users, particularly those with older GPUs or specific OS versions. If stability and smooth performance are top priorities, checking recent patch notes and community discussions before purchasing is advisable.
The game's User Experience (UX) and UI design have received mixed feedback from the community. Many players praise the intuitive menu navigation and clean HUD, which keeps essential information visible without cluttering the screen. The inventory management system is frequently highlighted as well-organized, with drag-and-drop functionality making item handling seamless. However, some users report issues with keybinding customization, noting that certain controls feel unintuitive or lack rebinding options, particularly on PC. Controller support is generally well-received, though a few players mention occasional input lag or unresponsive buttons. Accessibility features like colorblind modes and scalable subtitles are appreciated, but some players criticize the lack of granular difficulty settings, making the game either too easy or frustratingly hard for certain playstyles. Localization quality varies—while most translations are solid, a few players point out awkward phrasing or missing subtitles in non-English versions. Overall, the game delivers a polished UX for most players, though accessibility gaps and control customization limitations may frustrate some.
The game's story and narrative have received mixed but passionate feedback from the community. Many players praise the deep world-building, intricate lore, and well-written dialogue that immerses them in the game’s universe. The characters, particularly the protagonist and key NPCs, are frequently highlighted as compelling and multi-dimensional, with their arcs driving emotional engagement. However, some critics argue that the pacing suffers in later sections, with overly long exposition or abrupt shifts that disrupt immersion. A recurring point of debate is the ending—some find it satisfying and thematically resonant, while others feel it leaves too many unanswered questions. If you value rich storytelling with complex characters but can tolerate occasional pacing issues, this game’s narrative may still captivate you. Community opinions suggest it’s a polarizing yet memorable experience for those invested in its world.
The multiplayer experience in this game has received mixed but passionate feedback from the community. Many players praise the cooperative (co-op) gameplay, highlighting seamless teamwork mechanics and engaging PvE content that encourages strategic coordination. The matchmaking system is frequently described as efficient, with quick queue times for both casual and ranked modes. However, some players report occasional imbalances in PvP matchups, leading to frustrating encounters. The social features, including in-game voice chat and guild systems, are well-regarded for fostering strong community bonds. On the downside, a recurring complaint involves toxic behavior and griefing in competitive modes, with calls for better moderation tools. Cheating remains a concern, though recent updates have improved anti-cheat measures. Overall, the game thrives on its cooperative elements but struggles with competitive integrity in PvP. If you enjoy team-based gameplay and can tolerate occasional toxicity, this title offers a rewarding multiplayer experience.
The game's monetization model has sparked mixed reactions within the community. While some players praise its fair pricing and lack of aggressive microtransactions, others criticize certain paywalls and optional loot boxes that feel unnecessary. The base game offers solid value for its price, with frequent updates and expansions adding meaningful content. However, a segment of players feels that some DLCs and season passes are overpriced, locking key features behind additional payments. Community feedback highlights that the game avoids pay-to-win mechanics, focusing instead on cosmetic and convenience-based purchases. Critics argue that the monetization could be more transparent, as some in-game purchases feel misleadingly advertised. Overall, the business model is seen as reasonable by many, but undecided gamers should weigh whether the optional costs align with their preferences.
Players have voiced numerous feature requests and suggestions to enhance the game experience. Many request expanded customization options, including deeper character personalization and more weapon skins. UI improvements are a common theme, with players asking for a cleaner HUD, better inventory management, and more intuitive menu navigation. Some suggest adding new game modes, such as a hardcore survival variant or cooperative challenges, to extend replayability. Map variety is another frequent request, with players wanting larger, more dynamic environments or procedurally generated levels. Balancing tweaks for weapons and abilities are also highlighted, as some feel certain mechanics dominate gameplay. While the core experience is praised, these community-driven ideas could refine immersion and depth. If you value games that evolve based on player feedback, this title shows potential—though some desired features may still be in development.
The developer engagement and support for this game have been a major talking point among the community. Many players praise the team for their responsiveness, frequent updates, and transparent communication. Regular patches address bugs and introduce requested features, reinforcing trust in the development process. Some reviews highlight the devs' active presence in forums and social media, where they openly discuss feedback and future plans. However, a few players express frustration over delayed fixes for critical issues or missing roadmap updates, particularly in early access. Despite this, the majority agree that the developers are committed to improving the game, with many updates directly influenced by player suggestions. If consistent communication and ongoing support are important to you, this game's dev team appears dedicated—though some patience may be required for larger updates.
Feels like It's 1998 again and I'm playing Diablo. Slower than modern arpg's, more purposeful. It's everything I wanted and more from the sequel so far.
Amazing, what it should be, just like in Diablo 2 Lord of Destruction days. Its hard, its fun, the loot is rare, which is nice not having to upgrade every 4 minutes and loot manage, I'm looking at you diablo 3 and 4.... This is the game I've been waiting 15 years for. Already played 51 hours, my eyes hurt, my back hurts, but my heart is happy! <3
truly awesome game! I'm 42 and this game really brings back the feeling I got when I first played Diablo 2. The dark grim atmosphere, the difficulty, the beautiful voice acting and subtle feeling of dread! Truly an honor to be alive to play this game!
Game Crashing constantly? (Windows 11, Intel, NVIDIA) - Windows Key + R - type "%Appdata%" , click 'ok' - find 'Path of Exile 2' folder - delete what's inside every 'ShaderCache' (D3D11,D3D12,Vulkan), folder leaving them all empty folders - go to NVIDIA settings>Graphics>Global Settings - Set Shader Cache Size = 100 GB (or find PoE2 in program settings and check for the Cache Size setting) - Run Path of Exile 2 - Go to in game settings - Disable ENGINE MULTITHREADING - Apply Settings, Restart Game and Give it a crack. Hope this helps, (PirateSoftware is a MadLad for explaining this during one of his streams.)
Im by no means any kind of POE expert, I've put like 100 hours into the first one. I like ARPGs but I dont have time to no-life them. I got 3 or 4 d4 characters to 100 so nothing crazy. That being said, Im still in the campaign here, but Im having a blast, Ill never play any of the older ARPGs again. This is one of the best EA releases ever, I think its easily the best in recent memory. I've had a couple stutters here and there and got booted maybe twice so far, it's an incredible feat especially considering the amount of players on day 1. I can't speak to the difficulty or system changes from POE1 but I will say that, halfway through the campaign, I feel like I have a decent grasp already, it's not as complicated as it looks. I know that a lot of players coming from POE1 have some growing pains, but if you're just a fan of ARPGs, and are willing to try something a little different, there's a good chance you'll never look back. 10/10 for an Early Access, IGN is a terrible website, Amen.
It pains me to write this review but I have no choice. Right now, the game is not worth your time. Why? Because it OPENLY disrespects your time. I have over 700 hours, and let me be honest, I would say at least 500 of those hours feel like a complete waste. The campaign is just great. Extremely punishing, stupid difficult, but overall pretty fun. The gameplay does feel slow and methodical, and the bosses are a solid blend of challenging but doable. However, when you get to maps, and then as you push through beyond level 85 (I made it to level 96), the game becomes completely different. It's much less methodical, everything either kills you instantly or you kill it instantly, and there is virtually no in-between. There are like 5-6 builds that are mandatory to progress, so build-diversity is zero. 95% of the uniques are completely and utterly worthless. And worst of all, every death comes with such an OVERWHELMING amount of punishment, that your literal life force as a human will be drained. Beyond level 70, you lose 10% XP per death, which is absolutely INSANE beyond level 95. Every death will wipe DOZENS and eventually HUNDREDS of hours of character XP progress. It got to the point where every death was an instant log off and do something else moment. You lose, the map, you lose the node modifiers, you lose all the loot on the ground, and you lose 10% XP. I have never before experienced a game so punishing with every death. In its current state, the game is simply NOT fun beyond the campaign. Every moment is so stressful because the amount of stupid 1-shot mechanics with zero telegraph or counterplay is just insane. So many deaths you won't have a CLUE what killed you. And again, keep in mind the cost of every death. This combination makes the game essentially unplayable. I am hopeful for the game's future. But for now, I am out.
Game is a joke. -Removed all fun from the game in pursuit of the "vision". -Loot is nowhere to be seen, from items to currency. -Massive amount of skills, all but a few are literally pointless. -Massive amount of support gems, all but a few are literally pointless and the few good ones have negatives...fun. -3 second stun should never have made it past the idea phase. -Combo gameplay will never be fun in an ARPG so stop pushing it. -Running around an area for 30 mins with nothing to do but look for the exit is not fun. -I understand they need to sell cosmetics, but the prices are an absolute joke. -Refuse to implement a player marketplace, which would solve all issues to do with trading. (Like every other game has lol) -Servers are so bad its actually funny. I understand there is an ongoing DDOS attack right now but there is 0 reason or justification for your disconnects to roll players back and remove progress from them. Remember every input is tied to servers so high ping = input lag. Meaning everything you do up until it disconnects you is being sent to the server perfectly fine... So why the rollback? That's a DC compensation issue, fix it. -Moderators on Reddit are removing posts to do with the disconnect rollbacks, along with many other negative subjects. Ask me how I know... absolute softies. Bored of typing things out now, I'm going to go watch paint dry because its more fun than talking about or even playing this game. Absolute shambles.
I want to be clear: the gameplay itself can be very enjoyable, and I was looking forward to investing a lot of time into it. This review is not about the game, but a serious warning about the company's punitive and deeply flawed customer support that is now preventing me from playing the game I paid for. Here is what happened: Months ago, I bought an Early Access pack and refunded it via Steam because it was too buggy at the time. A standard, legitimate action. After major updates, I came back and repurchased the game in good faith, and have been playing since. My account was suddenly locked. Support informed me that their system had failed to remove the in-game currency from my initial refunded purchase, and I had spent it by mistake. In their first email, they accused me of "stealing." I immediately offered a fair solution: I told them to remove all the items and currency from my account, or even do a full account reset, wiping all my progress. I just wanted to correct the mistake and play the game I had legitimately repurchased. Their response? After a week of being locked out and my ticket being ignored, their final, unchangeable demand is that I must pay for the supporter pack a third time to unlock my account. This is a warning to any potential buyer. The game might be good, but if you ever encounter a system bug or a clerical error on their end, you will be treated like a criminal. Their support is inflexible, accusatory, and will hold the product you paid for hostage rather than accept a common-sense solution. TL;DR: The company locked my account due to their own system's error, accused me of theft, ignored my fair offers to fix it, and are now holding my paid-for game hostage until I pay them a third time. Absolutely cannot recommend.
They made a game mode for Path of Exile 1 called "Ruthless" that was extremely slow and boring with very few item drops. They said it was a "side project" that wouldn't affect the game. Nobody played Ruthless mode in PoE 1 because it wasn't fun to play. Ruthless was the beta test for PoE 2. Path of Exile 2 is their vision for Ruthless as a stand-alone game. Not playing Ruthless 2.0 - sorry, it's just not fun!
Before early access launched the developers said EA would last 6-12 months and at release there would be 36 Ascendancy classes and 6 acts. We're now 6 months into EA and all the developers have done is basic game balance and they've added 2 new Ascendancy classes. We still only have 3/6 acts and 17/36 Ascendancy classes. PoE 2 is currently in a state where the developers should pay people to beta test it rather than charge money from people. And despite that they're monetizing the game like it's a fully released f2p game. They just added new stash tabs which are arguably p2w to the store and they're introducing and advertising new lootboxes. A few years ago GGG also promised that all applicable micro transactions from the original poe will be usable in poe 2 and that they would continue releasing new leagues in poe 1 even after poe 2 launched. I'm sure they have intentionally said these things so people keep spending money in poe 1. The reality now is that the vast majority of mtx that people spent money on in the past is still unavailable in poe 2 and poe 1 development has almost completely halted with no new leage in close to a year. So people who bought mtx a year or two ago with the expectation to use it now got borderline scammed by GGG. And to add insult to injury they're introducing new micro transactions rather than prioritising to imlement the old mtx. If the game was great I could view past all that because things change and I don't necessarily think GGG intentionally mislead people at the time. But the game is mid at best and development is going at a snails pace so I can't recommend playing poe 2 at the moment. To be honest I kinda lost hope for GGG. Many of the people who made poe 1 a great game have left the company recently and the remaining team seems to struggle finding a direction for poe 2. Meanwhile Tencent who GGG sold out to is squeezing for money.
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